00:15

A federal statutory body, the Australian Commission for Law
Enforcement Integrity (ACLEI) has been in existence since
December 2006 and is headed by the
Integrity Commissioner. The current Integrity Commissioner
is Michael Griffin AM.

There is also a Parliamentary Joint Committee on the ACLEI.

The Morrison plan for a new Commonwealth Integrity Commission (CIC) intends to retain
the ACLEI as one of two divisions within the CIC and expand the
number of government agencies within this first divisions
jurisdiction from twelve (12) to sixteen (16) otherwise it is
business as usual for the multi-agency ACLEI.

At the same time the Morrison
Government intends the over-arching CIC to have a second division
the Public Sector Division - without the full powers of
statutory anti-corruption commissions.

Monday, 17 December

12:00

I am not one who makes much of the festive season, but inspired
by the example of my favourite blog, Thom
Hickeys Immortal Juke Box, here are five
favourite Christmas songs.

Five

The King, sung here by Canadians Loreena
McKennitt and Cyril Smith, from Loreenas Christmas album To
Drive the Cold Winter Away, hails from a long tradition of
Wren King songs.
The king of the title is the wee wren, the king of all birds, as
many old songs tell it. Through December until Twelfth Night
(the sixth of January), it was common among Celtic-speakers in
Brittany, Wales, Manx, Scotland, and Ireland for children and
adults to cruise their neighbourhoods cadging food, money or booze
in return for seeing a Wren that they had captured. This particular
King Wren song dates from the eighteenth century, although the
heavy weaponry was added in the nineteenth.

Health, love and peace be all here in this
placeBy your leave we shall sing, concerning our KingOur King is well-dressed in silks of the bestIn ribbons so rare no king can compareWe have travelled many miles over hedges and stilesIn search of our King unto you we bring.We have powder and shot to conquer the lotWe have cannon and ball to conquer them all.Old Christmas is past, twelve tide is the lastAnd we bid you adieu, great joy to the new

Four

Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly
bears the crown. Northumbrian Kate Rusbys rendering of
the old English carol The Holly and the Ivy
is gorgeous. I reblogged Thom Hickeys
tribute to this lovely song earlier this month. It is
worth another look and listen. The lyrics are so bucolic, so
timeless:

The rising of the sunThe running of the deerThe playing of the merry organSweet singing in the choir

11:59

SCUs Andy Croaker with a pot of the
black salve. Some samples have proven highly toxic and others
completely inactive.
Photo Leigh Jensen/Southern Cross University

Is black salve, the much-feted skin cancer cream, a miracle cure
or a horror story? New research from Southern Cross University
(SCU) proves the latter in the first international study to
quantitatively assess its dangerous ingredients.

The sale of black salve is illegal in Australia so the SCU
research team analysed 13 black salve products purchased from
different online sellers around the world.

Like acid

Its similar to playing a game of Russian roulette with the
majority of black salves tested posing a significant risk of harm
to patients.

Some black salves contained very high concentrations of
compounds likely to kill any tissue they came in contact with,
putting patients at risk of significant scarring and deformity.

One salve contained a compound at a concentration over 900 times
that needed to kill normal skin cells; its clinical use would be
similar to applying a strong acid to the skin, said Mr Croaker.

Other black salves had undetectable levels of cytotoxic
compounds meaning they would not react to cancer tissue giving
patients a false sense of security that their skin lesion was not
cancer. This could delay skin cancer diagnosis which for some skin
cancers could put patients lives at risk.

No cure

Mr Croaker, who works at the Sawtell Medical Centre, cautioned
against people self-administering black salve.

DIY may be okay for renovatin...

11:32

What: The 23rd year of this nationally renowned
cultural event will feature four transformational days of keynote
speakers, soundbaths, yoga, workshops, chant, breathwork and much
more. Each day features a full program of events included with
entry and the main hall with its celebrated community of yogis,
healers, artists, psychics, practitioners and presenters. Treat
yourself and enjoy a truly Byron Bay experience. Nurture your mind,
body and soul at the Starlight Festivals this January 3rd-6th at
the A&I Hall in Bangalow.

Brandon Bays
Brandon Bays, international bestselling author and pioneer of the
Journey Method, is one of the most dynamic, inspirational and
innovative teachers in the field of personal growth and cellular
healing. Her radically transformative work has grown organically
and exponentially over the last 20 years. It offers practical,
accessible and liberating process work that can be used by anyone,
in all areas of life to uncover and awaken limitless potential and
bring about healing, freedom, true fulfillment and abundance on all
levels of being emotionally, physically, spiritually, materially.
Brandon is an authentic living example of her work. Her open,
candid honesty combined with her genuine compassion for the human
condition and her relaxed, warm-hearted humour, bring her teachings
alive with insight, depth, humanity and grace. She counts the
greatest blessing in her life to be given the immense privilege of
serving awakening and healing around the world.

11:17

Container Ship entering
Newcastle Harbour. A Sydney grab for cash imposed costs on New
England exporters that are only now emerging.

On 10 December 2018, the ACCC (Australian Competition &
Consumer Commission) announced that had instituted proceedings in
the Federal Court against NSW Ports Operations Hold Co Pty Ltd and
its subsidiaries Port Botany Operations Pty Ltd and Port Kembla
Operations Pty Ltd for making agreements with the State of New
South Wales that the ACCC alleges had an anti-competitive purpose
and effect.

We are alleging that making these agreements containing provisions
which would effectively compensate Port Kembla and Port Botany if
the Port of Newcastle developed a container terminal, is
anti-competitive and illegal, said ACCC Chair Rod Sims.

The following day, 11 December 2018, the Port of Newcastle released a commissioned report on the economic
impact of a container terminal at the Port of Newcastle. This
suggested (among other things) that a modern container terminal
would cut land transport costs for northern NSW businesses by $2.8
billion by 2050. This would, according to Port of Newcastle CEO
Craig Carmody, increase exports from from Northern NSW including
the Hunter by $1 billion by 2050

"Businesses in Newcastle, Singleton, Tamworth, Gunnedah, Port
Macquarie, Kempsey, Liverpool Plains and Narrabri can look forward
to savings of more than $500 per standard container, if they
shipped their goods through Newcastle rather than Port Botany or
Port of Brisbane," Mr Carmody said.

With these actions, the originally secret agreements preventing the
Port of Newcastle competing against Port Botany and Port Kembla in
the container trade finally entered full public gaze. It had been
some time coming.

Genesis

In April 2013, then NSW Treasurer Mike Baird announced that a consortium, NSW Ports, had
agreed to pay $4.31...

10:16

The Ballina National Party candidate, Ben Franklin,
has defended a complaint made against him for establishing a
campaign office in close proximity to that of
sitting Greens MP, Tamara Smith.

Nationals MLC Ben Franklin was
referred the clerk of the Legislative Assembly according to Ms
Smith, yet The Echo understands the location of his new
Ballina office breaks no parliamentary regulations.

Ms Smith toldThe Echo the
office is misleading the electorate because it implies he is the
local MP. The guy is ruthless, she said.

The NSW seat of Ballina encompasses
Ballina and Byron shires.

With the election slated for March,
Franklins government believes it has a good chance of winning the
seat and has been spending big on the Ballina
electorate.

Its perhaps the biggest spend ever
on the seat of Ballina, which has seen decades of neglect. The term
to try and win votes through spending on an electorate is commonly
known as pork barrelling.

Despite Ms Smith claiming his office
is just metres away, Franklin told The
Echohis office is on an
entirely different street.

He said,This is a very strange contention. In no way am I suggesting I
am the local member! My office has the signage of a usual and
standard campaign office the sort that all parties set up for their
candidates in each seat they are contesting. It says my name and
the seat I am running for. Frankly it would be quite strange
if it said anything else!

The fact that the office is situated
in River Street is simply because that is the main street in the
largest town in the electorate which is no doubt exactly the same
reason that Tamara has her electorate office close to
there!...

08:25

Travellers are being warned to avoid the Pacific Highway between
Ballina and Woodburn during the Xmas to New Year period, with
delays of up to 90 minutes predicted by Roads and Maritime Services
(RMS).

To add insult to injury, new night works will commence from
tonight at New Italy and Pimlico just as the peak travel season
kicks in.

The RMS says the Bruxner Highway or Summerland Way will be
better choices for motorists hoping to avoid the blood-pressure
raising trip.

Further south, motorists can expect to take 10 minutes extra to
get through Coffs Harbour (its bypass wont commence until after the
Ballina to Woolgoolga section is finished).

07:42

Two male drivers were arrested in Tweed on Sunday (December 16),
one for being four times over the alcohol limit and the other for
driving on an expired licence.

About 12.02am, police were attending another incident in Seaview
Street, Kingscliff, when they saw a vehicle mounting the gutter and
driving erratically.

Police then followed the vehicle and stopped it a short distance
away.

After the driver returned a positive roadside breath test, he
arrested and taken to Kingscliff Police Station where he returned a
reading of 0.256.

He admitted to drinking 12 full strength VB beers before
attempting to drive the vehicle. The male was charged
with high range PCA, his licence was suspended. The male will
appear at Tweed Heads Local Court 04/02/19.

About 11.14am, police stopped a vehicle on Kennedy Drive, Tweed
Heads, after the registration plates did not match the vehicle.

They spoke to the male driver who handed them an expired QLD
drivers licence.

Police conducted checks that revealed that the vehicle had an
expired registration and driver was disqualified from driving.

Police had suspicions about the driver and conducted a search of
vehicle, which they say contained property from Palm Beach in QLD,
which had previously been reported stolen. The driver was arrested
and taken to Tweed Heads Police Station, where he was charged He
will appear at Tweed Heads Local Court on February 2, 2019.

00:16

Throughout the year there are periods
where I receive scam calls up to twice a week.

Sometimes I am warned about my
imminent arrest for tax evasion, sometimes I am informed that I
have compensation money coming to me from a motor vehicle accident
in which I was allegedly involved, but most often I am told by a
fake Telstra representative that there is something wrong with my
computer [substitute various alternative
scenarios here] and that my Internet service will
be cancelled unless I power up my PC and follow
instructions.

I stopped listening to their spiel
years ago and now simply hang up.

However, telephone and email scamming
is now ubiquitous and peak scam is on us for another holiday
season.......

00:15

On 13 December 2018 Australia's 'interim' Prime Minister and
Liberal MP for Cook, Scott Morrison, announced that his
government intended to
protect religious freedom in Australia and to protect the rights of
Australians to be themselves by way of a new piece of
legislation titled the Religious Discrimination
Act.Not a line of this legislation appears to
have been put down on paper to date even though it is apparently
expected to come before the Australian Parliament in the seven days
or so it will sit before the May 2019 federal election.One would have thought that religious
freedom and diversity of faith was thriving in Australia
givenover
127 different formal manifestations of religious
faith/spirituality exist in
its cities, towns and
villages without ongoing overt community discord
or institutionalised discrimination.Even former
Liberal Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock concedes
the Religious
Freedom Reviewhe led
found little evidence that discrimination is occurring in
Australia. That lack of
hard evidence at population levels mean that government cannot
reliably assert that religious discrimination as a form of harm is
an existing problem requiring the 'solutions' it is
prop...